Coin bank



of the several receptacles, depending upon its size.

A counterweight 3l), of a heavier material than the material of the disci8, is mounted in an opening 3l in the disc, as an insert. Thecounterweight 3) is so positioned as to always resist a tendency of thedisc i8 to rotate counter-clockwise from its normal position shown inFig. 1. In this normal position, the counterweight 35 just balances theweight of the barrier 24 so as to produce a state of equilibrium.

In the operation of my improved coin classifying bank, the smallest coin2l, after passing freely through the pass 26, will roll along the edge25 of the barrier 2li along the path indicated by the arrow 32 and willthus be guided into the central receptacle. Referring now to Fig. 4, theintermediate size coin, indicated at 33, is too large to pass freelythrough the pass 26 and therefore will temporarily be arrested betweenthe nose 22 and the edge 25 of the barrier 2G, as indicated in dottedlines in Fig. a. The weight of the coin 33 as thus arrested, exertedagainst the barrier 24, will push the barrier downwardly and thus causethe disc i8 to rotate until the barrier has reached a positionapproximately as shown in full lines in Fig. 4. In moving to thisposition, the barrier will have opened up the pass 2B so as to permitthe coin 33 to pass therethrough, and will then provide, in its uppersurface 25, a rollway down which the coin 33 will roll along the pathindicated by the arrow 34, until the coin is delivered into thereceptacle P. The rotation of the disc I8 to this position will carrythe counterweight Sil to a higher level from which it exerts a greatertorque against the disc E3, and after the coin has passed beyond thebarrier 2li, the counterweight will rotate the disc back to its normalposition.

Referring now to Fig. 5, the largest coin, indicated at 36, willlikewise be arrested at the pass 26, as indicated in dotted lines inFig. 5, and will exert downward pressure against the barrier 24 such asto cause the disc I8 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction. Beforethis coin can negotiate the pass 26, however, the disc I3 will haverotated to such an extent that the coin 35 will continue to remain incontact with the end of the barrier 24 which it first contacted and willnever pass the center of the barrier. Consequently, the barrier 24 willbe pushed around to the extreme position shown in Fig. 5 in full lines,in which p0- sition the inclination of its surface 25 will have becomereversed, causing the coin 36 to backtrack as indicated by the arrow 3l,and to roll back into the first receptacle N.

The inward divergence of the edge 25 from the periphery of the disc I8tends to narrow the pass 26 from the upper end of the barrier 2d towardthe intermediate region thereof. However, the eccentricity of the nosesurface 22 permits the pass 2S to be widened by the counter-clockwiserotation of the barrier 2a. Nevertheless, the pass does not, at anypoint in the rotation of the disc, becomesufiiciently widened to permitthe coin 36 to roll past the wider intermediate region of the barrier24, and consequently the coin 3G continues to rotate the disc until thespace between the barrier 24 and the raised section I9 ceases to widenand commences to become more narrow, thereby blocking further movementof the coin in the counter-clockwise direction and causing it toback-track.

It Will be obvious from the foregoing that construction of my improvedcoin bank is exceedingly simple for a coin classifying device.Consequently, the bank may be made in very large Cil receptacles havebeen filled may at all times be apparent. Alternatively, the walls ofthe bank may be of opaque material such as for example, colored plasticmaterial, with only the wall 3 of transparent material.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a coin-classifying bank, means defining a coin passage, said meansincluding a fixed rollway and a rotatable disc having a barrier spacedfrom an extremity of said rollway to define a restricted pass that isadapted to be widened by downward movement of said barrier, and aplurality of receptacles one of which is positioned to receive a coinpassing freely through said pass in the normal position of said barrier,and another of which is positioned to receive a larger coin deliveredfrom said barrier in a shifted position thereof resulting from saidlarger coin becoming arrested at said pass and exerting downwardpressure against said barrier such as to rotate said disc.

2. In a coin-classifying bank, means defining a coin passage, said meansincluding a xed rollway and a rotatable disc having on one side thereofa barrier lying in the plane of said rollway and spaced from anextremity thereof to define a restricted pass that is adapted to bewidened by downward movement of said barrier, and a plurality ofreceptacles one of which is positioned to receive a coin passing freelythrough said pass in the normal position of said barrier and another ofwhich is positioned to receive a larger coin delivered from said barrierin a shifted position thereof resulting from said larger coin beingarrested in said pass and exerting downward pressure against saidbarrier such as to rotate said disc.

3. In a coin-classifying bank, means defining a coin passageway, saidmeans including a rollway inclined downwardly from the entrance of saidpassageway and a rotatable disc having a barrier lying in the plane ofsaid rollway and spaced from the lower extremity thereof to define arestricted pass that is adapted to be widened by downward movement ofsaid barrier, and a plurality of receptacles one of which is positionedto receive a coin passing through said pass freely in the normalposition of said barrier and another of which is positioned to receive alarger coin delivered from said barrier in a downwardly and laterallyshifted position of the latter resulting from said larger coin beingarrested at said pass and thereby caused to exert downward pressureagainst said barrier such as to rotate said disc.

4. In a coin-classifying bank, means defining a coin passageway, saidmeans including a rollway inclined downwardly from the entrance of saidpassageway, and a rotatable disc having a barrier spaced from the lowerextremity of said rollway to define a restricted pass, said barrierhaving a normal position extending generally vertically and beingadapted, under the weight of a coin arrested at said pass, to shiftdownwardly to a position inclined more toward the horizontal, and beingso related to said rollway extremity as to widen said pass as it thusshifts downwardly, and a plurality of receptacles one of which ispositioned to receive a coin-passing freely through rsaid -pass Y Ainsaid generally ',vertical `position 1 of theubarrier and another-pfwhich is Apositioned Yto :receive a larger coin-delivered fromsaidfbarrier in the aforesaid'inclined-positionthereof resultingA fromthe `arresting -offsaid larger coin `at said pass .and the consequentexerting Yof downward pressure against said barrier.

5. in. a coin-classifying bank; means vdefining Ya coin passageway,ssaidmeans including a rollway inclined downwardly from:theientrance. of said.passageway Aand a discahaving :on foneside thereof abarrier providing:an edge `surface opposed to the lower extremity of 'saidrollway todefine a restrictedpass, said edge surface `having at .fleast an.portion thereof f-diverging from.. the periphery 'offsaid 4disc in `adownward direction, .and `said ilower extremity :of the rollway. havinga 1 roundedV nose. surface that .isieccentric tor the ;axis .of rotationof the adiscanddisposed predominatelysabove saidaXiS, .whereby a coin ofaproper size Imay :passfreelyithrough .said pass in the normall positionofv saidbarrer whereas a larger icoinrnay partially 'enter said pass.and bearrested -betweentsaid' edgef surface Land :said rounded nose :and:bev thereby causedto exert downward pressure .against said lbarriersuch asto cause said disc'torrotateand consequently widen said passvsuiiiciently'tofpermitsaidxcoin to roll downwardly V`along the edgeofsaid barrier, and va plurality of receptaclesone of which is positionedto receive a coin passingifreely through .said .pass in the normalposition of saidbarrier .and another of "which is positioned to receivea larger coin delivered 'from vsaid barrier in the 'downwardly` shifted:position thereof.

6. In va coin-classifying bank, means deiining acoinpassage, said meansincluding a casing having a slot iorrningthe inlet end of said passage,a rollway inclined downwardly from said slot,'flxedly'associated withsaid casing, and hav- Iinga curved nose extremity at its lower end, adisc rotatably mounted in said casing on an axis eccentric to and lyingbelow the center of curvature of said vnose extremity, and a meniscus-`shaped barrier carried by said disc, lying in the plane of said rollwayand spaced from said curved nose portion-to define a restricted passthat is adapted to be widened by downward movement of said barrier; anda` plurality ofreceptacles one of which is adapted to receive afcoinpassing freely through said-'pass in the normal position of said barrierand another of which is adapted to receive a larger coin that has beentemporarily arrested at said pass and thereby caused to bring f downwardpressure against said barrier such as to rotate said disc to a positionin which said barrier will guide said larger coin into said otherreceptacle.

7. A coin bank as dened in claim l, in which said disc is provided witha counterweight adapted to counter-balance said barrier in a normalposition thereof in which said barrier projects upwardly along one sideof the disc, and to return said disc to said normal position of thebarrier after the disc has been rotated.

8. In a classifying coin bank, means deiining a coin passage, said meansincluding a downwardly inclined rollway, and a rotatable disc having abarrier spaced from an extremity of said rollway to define a restrictedpass, and three coin receptacles disposed below said disc, said barrierbeing arranged to guide a coin of minimum size through said pass into afirst receptacle, to be moved downwardly by an intermediate sized coinCAD said rounded nose towidensaidi Vformed infits lower.. regiona;rst,;anintermediate .and athirdgrecepta'cle respectively, meansvdeninga kcoin passageway ,.above. said receptacles .said vmeans`:including a V.portion of :said kcasing projecting above said:receptacles .and aazrotatable discmounted therein, said rotatable "disc.having a barrieriextending along aportioniof-rthe peripherythereofzatonesidethereof and normally posit tioned roughiyV-vertcally :withitsrlowertl end :dis-

posedlto :guide ;a coin into saidiiintermediate;receptacle, andafdow-nwardly inclined` coin .rollway fixed sin: said casing.; and.having a rounded nose extremity spaced :from '.fsaid.,.barrier to.udeiine a .restricted `pass ini said passageway, adapted to freely.pass a:.coin;of;;n1inimum size but to. arrest .coins ',of. larger.size,said sbarrier ybeingsoy related `to said: nose extremity and .saidnoseextremity eing of such eccentricity relative to the axis Vofrotation ofsaid disci and `being so `disposed above ,said axis, that 1anintermediate-sized *.Ycoin, .ar-

restedfat said pass, willrbeardownwardlyagainst Ysaid.:barrier,causing-said vdisc to rotate untilthe iupper end of said .1 barrier hasmoved away from pass suiiiciently toY permit said; intermediate-sizedcoin AtoY freely Vmove therethrough, while .at its -lower end `acoinoffmaximum sizeparrested'at'said pass, willcon- Ytinueto bearagainstsaid barrier, rotating said disc, without widening .L said :passY suciently -to permit said :maximum-sized coin to pass therethrough,`until said barrier has :been 'moved' past bottom :dead center and intoza fposition'of 'reversed linclination such las to cause said maxi-Vmum-sized'coin to back track and be guided by vthe formerly upper endVof said barrier into said rst receptacle.

"10. Aclassifying-coin bank comprising a transparent casing `nrleansan'dadisc` rotatably mount- -ed therein and cooperating with said casingmeans to define a coin passageway, said disc having a barrier attachedthereto and said casing having rigidly associated therewith, adownwardly inclined coin rollway the lower extremity of which is spacedfrom said barrier to define a restricted pass, said lower extremitylying largely above the axis of rotation of said disc whereby downwardmovement of said barrier may widen said pass, and a plurality ofreceptacles one of which is positioned to receive a coin of minimum sizepassing freely through said pass and guided by said barrier in itsnormal position, and another of which is positioned to receive a largercoin arrested at said pass and exerting downward pressure against saidbarrier such as to move the same to a position for guiding it into saidother receptacle, said transparent casing permitting visual inspectionof the operation of said disc.

ll. In a coin-classifying bank, means defining a coin passage, saidmeans including a xed abutment and a rotatable disc having a barrierspaced from said xed abutment to deiine a restricted pass that isadapted to be widened by downward movement of said barrier, and aplurality of receptacles one of which is positioned to receive a. coinpassing freely through said pass in the normal position of said barrier,and another of which is positioned to receive a larger coin deliveredfrom said barrier in a shifted position thereof resulting from saidlarger coin becoming arrested at said pass and exerting downwardpressure against said barrier such as to rotate this disc.

12. In a coin-classifying bank, means defining a coin passageway, saidmeans including a xed abutment and a rotatable disc having a barrierspaced from said abutment to define a restricted pass, said barrierhaving a normal position extending generally vertically and beingadapted, under the weight of a coin arrested at said pass,

4to shift downwardly to a position inclined more toward the horizontal,and being so related to said abutment so as to widen said pass as itthus shifts downwardly, and a plurality of receptacles one of which ispositioned to receive a coin passing freely through said pass in saidgenerally vertical position of the barrier and another of which ispositioned to receive a larger coin delivered from said barrier in theaforesaid inclined position thereof resulting from the arresting of saidlarger coin at said pass and the consequent exerting of downwardpressure against said barrier.

13. In a coin-classifying bank, means defining a coin passageway, saidmeans including a fixed abutment, a disc having on one side thereof abarrier providing an edge surface opposed to said abutment to define arestricted pass, said edge surface having at least a portion thereofdiverging from the periphery of said disc in a downward direction, andsaid abutment having a rounded edge surface that is eccentric to theaxis of rotation of the disc and disposed predominantly above said axiswhereby a coin of proper size may pass freely through said pass in thenormal position of said barrier whereas a larger coin may partiallyenter said pass and be arrested between said edge surfaces of saidbarrier and abutment respectively and be thereby caused to exertdownward pressure against said barrier such as to cause said disc torotate and consequently widen said pass sufficiently to permit said cointo roll downwardly along said edge surface of the barrier, and aplurality of receptacles one of which 8 is positioned to receive a coinpassing freely through said pass in the normal position of said barrierand another of which is positioned to receive a larger coin deliveredfrom said barrier in the downwardly shifted position thereof.

14. A coin bank as defined in claim 12, in which said disc is providedwith a counterweight adapted to counter-balance said barrier in theaforesaid normal position and to return said disc to said normalposition of the barrier after the disc has been rotated.

15. In a coin-classifying bank, means defining a coin passage, saidmeans including a fixed abutment and a rotatable disc having a barrierspaced from said abutment to define a restricted pass. and three coinreceptacles disposed below said disc, said barrier being arranged toguide a coin of minimum size through said pass into a first receptacle,to be moved downwardly by an intermediate-sized coin temporarilyarrested at said pass, and to thereby move to an inclined position inwhich said pass is widened suiciently to permit said intermediate-sizedcoin to pass therethrough and in which position it will then guide saidintermediate-sized coin to a second receptacle, and to be moved by amaximum-sized coin to a position in which its direction of inclination-is reversed with reference to the aforesaid inclined position, in whichposition of reversed inclination said maximum-sized coin will backtrackand move into the third receptacle.

16. A coin-classifying bank comprising a transparent casing means and adisc rotatably mounted therein and cooperating with said casing means todei-lne a coin passageway, said disc having a barrier attached theretoand said casing having a fixed abutment spaced from said barrier to denea restricted pass, said abutment lying largely above the axis ofrotation of said disc whereby downward movement of said barrier maywiden said pass, and a plurality of receptacles one of which ispositioned to receive a coin of minimum size passing freely through saidpass and guided by said barrier in its normal position, and another ofwhich is positioned to receive a larger coin arrested at said pass andexerting downward pressure against said barrier such as to move the sameto a position for guiding said larger coin into said other receptacle,said transparent casing permitting visual inspection of the operation ofsaid disc.

PHILIP B. KELLER.

